Making that Bullet Collator

[wbbh]

Yeah the hole for the Dillon beeper powder check system. That must have been designed by Toyota. I have a 4Runner a year old....and I found that I don't do well with the incessant beeping to save me from myself! Actually I found that out long before I traded my faithful lovable Avalanche for it. I tried a piezo buzzer on a case trimmer I made....removed it just before I went crazy. IMO you made a better use of the hole.

I just figured on my 7 station press, that a camera would be a better use than a regular powder cop, that you have to listen to, or watch the little pole go up and down. The video screen can be more in your face so you don't space it off, and with 7 stations, I don't miss the station, and you can't beat the direct head on shot of the case.

The camera works great, now if I could just get the meat bag to look at the camera every time and not second guess myself... it would be great.

[azlester]

Post a couple of pics of both setups and I will help figure out what you are missing.

yea


only took me 2+ hours to get the stupid pics to upload.....

[GWS]

Ok next dumb question....
The owners manual says that I need a Drop_Tube_Drop_Hole_X .... I cant find it in any section... it goes from the top of the bullet feeder die to the spring adapter at the end of the spring coming down from the collator... I think.
I know that the x is the size.
Thanks

Okay lets see if we can make sense of this frustration. First of all the two pictures you sent are of two things I don't get from this post.

Here you said, "it goes from the top of the bullet feeder die to the spring adapter at the end of the spring coming down from the collator... "
Now look at the following picture where you will see the "Drop_Tube_Drop_Hole X" along with the bullet feeder die, and the spring/spring adaptor:



Next picture shows two of these put together ( 2 different calibers different sized springs):


Different spring adaptors are necessary for different sized springs. (don't look at or even consider the two black things on the other end of the springs....those mate with my Hornady Pistol feeder and has nothing to do with your setup.)

Okay.....the small/medium/large versions of that "Drop_Tube_Drop_Hole X" is what you will always need on top of any of the bullet feed dies (arrows pointing up to the spring adaptor). But this the bottom of the springs, not on the collator end of things, which depends entirely what switch and down tube you use up there.

You have one extra part not in my pictures....the offset adaptor. That's just an extension of the feed die. The top of that should match the top of the feed die.....so the "Drop_Tube_Drop_Hole_X" goes into it just like it does the feed die.

So add either the small, medium, or large "Drop_Tube_Drop_Hole X" to your feed die and you should be able to connect everything.......I hope you can cut the length of that long long spring!

Your pictures seem to mix up two systems. Left picture shows Lee APP parts, Right picture shows a feeder die or something else (don't see the little die spring hooks)? with tubing inside the top and not sure what else you got there, but neither is right, unless it's custom.....and I do that all the time.

Bet TylerR has more help for you.....

[azlester]

Okay lets see if we can make sense of this frustration. First of all the two pictures you sent are of two things I don't get from this post.

Here you said, "it goes from the top of the bullet feeder die to the spring adapter at the end of the spring coming down from the collator... "
Now look at the following picture where you will see the "Drop_Tube_Drop_Hole X" along with the bullet feeder die, and the spring/spring adaptor:



Next picture shows two of these put together ( 2 different calibers different sized springs):


Different spring adaptors are necessary for different sized springs. (don't look at or even consider the two black things on the other end of the springs....those mate with my Hornady Pistol feeder and has nothing to do with your setup.)

Okay.....the small/medium/large versions of that "Drop_Tube_Drop_Hole X" is what you will always need on top of any of the bullet feed dies (arrows pointing up to the spring adaptor). But this the bottom of the springs, not on the collator end of things, which depends entirely what switch and down tube you use up there.

You have one extra part not in my pictures....the offset adaptor. That's just an extension of the feed die. The top of that should match the top of the feed die.....so the "Drop_Tube_Drop_Hole_X" goes into it just like it does the feed die.

So add either the small, medium, or large "Drop_Tube_Drop_Hole X" to your feed die and you should be able to connect everything.......I hope you can cut the length of that long long spring!

Your pictures seem to mix up two systems. Left picture shows Lee APP parts, Right picture shows a feeder die or something else (don't see the little die spring hooks)? with tubing inside the top and not sure what else you got there, but neither is right, unless it's custom.....and I do that all the time.

Bet Tyler has more help for you.....

yes I did that ... my brain is fried trying to figure this out.... ignore the pictures as I have no idea what I was thinking. Sorry
I think I have it figured out now....just need to take a break and let my mind clear up a tad...LOL
Thank you

[GWS]

The camera works great, now if I could just get the meat bag to look at the camera every time and not second guess myself... it would be great.

LOL! If you were just a meat bag, you would not be into reloading or be on this forum, trying to glean some information. You'd be on the streets of some city, with a dumb sign. Just move the video screen closer so you have to see it.........like I said, "in your face."

[wbbh]

LOL! If you were just a meat bag, you would not be into reloading or be on this forum, trying to glean some information. You'd be on the streets of some city, with a dumb sign. Just move the video screen closer so you have to see it.........like I said, "in your face."

LOL

[azlester]

WOOOHOOO!!!!!
I am done with the printing and have it all wired up and everything actually works lol
Now to build the mount for it on my bench.
How tall do you guys have the main body mounted? I am going to be using it with both my APP and a Loadmaster.
Thank you all for all the help you have given me... it is very much appreciated!

[GWS]

Tall enough, but short enough to see inside if you're that lucky.....

I'm too short so I have mirrors to see in. But really it's arbitrary, and personal. Obviously the shorter the spring the better, but you do what you have to do, and there's probably not two out there the same.

Congrats on the prints and electrics though.....almost there.

BTW, on my first one I temporarily suspended it by rope and moved it up and down til I was happy....but I don't have the same equipment you have.

[azlester]

Tall enough, but short enough to see inside if you're that lucky.....

I'm too short so I have mirrors to see in. But really it's arbitrary, and personal. Obviously the shorter the spring the better, but you do what you have to do, and there's probably not two out there the same.

Congrats on the prints and electrics though.....almost there.

BTW, on my first one I temporarily suspended it by rope and moved it up and down til I was happy....but I don't have the same equipment you have.

maybe I should rephrase the question... how tall above the press do you have it mounted?
I was hoping to find a starting point and adjust it from there. I am really wanting to make sure I have enough 1 inch square tubing.

I am probably going to have to do some mirror thing...my bench was built so i could stand and work...it is tall.

[RedBarachetta]

This is my setup.
Works pretty well

Were you able to find this table mount for the square post? I searched on thingiverse a few times and haven't found it.

[GWS]

Same answer. But I'll add that you want the spring not to be bent enough to slow down the bullet/case travel. I have three presses, each one turned out different, I just can't tell you a number that will work for you. One of your pictures showed a die mounted switch, one a collator mounted switch, then there's what adapters you use......everything is different from mine. So how can I intelligently give you a height? What works for my setup and equipment I can almost guarantee won't be best for yours.

Look at RedBarachetta's look how different the Heights are on just his two collators.

[azlester]

Were you able to find this table mount for the square post? I searched on thingiverse a few times and haven't found it.

I am using the square post mount on the Github files... I am making a stand with what I have around... a steel plate with the steel square tube welded to it.

[azlester]

Hey Tyler
Could you please try and make "Mount_Bench_Post_1inch.stl" for 1 inch square tube?
And maybe a sliding adapter for 1 inch square tube so you could slide the main piece up and down to different heights?
Thanks!

[GWS]

Powder Level Scope

Disaster yesterday....I broke my 12 Volt scope! Have to order another on the slow boat from China. Stupid, thinking I could move the old one to the new 3D prints.

I do have a USB version that has to be played on a computer.....I like the monitor better, but the USB one will have to do for now.....I can at least demonstrate the new 3D print version.

So here's the prints:



And here's the demo video: I used powder in the case from my throw away pile.....so you will see kernels of different types. So if you should actually see such a thing while you're loading.....stop!

[azlester]

Looks great and simple!

[45acp]

Were you able to find this table mount for the square post? I searched on thingiverse a few times and haven't found it.

Just uploaded it.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5359105

[RedBarachetta]

Hey Tyler
Could you please try and make "Mount_Bench_Post_1inch.stl" for 1 inch square tube?
And maybe a sliding adapter for 1 inch square tube so you could slide the main piece up and down to different heights?
Thanks!

That would be awesome.

[RedBarachetta]

Just uploaded it.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5359105

I don't suppose you have one in 1" size?

[TylerR]

https://github.com/BF556/Feeder/blob...nch_Square.stl

[RedBarachetta]

https://github.com/BF556/Feeder/blob...nch_Square.stl

You guys are awesome. Hopefully I will be able to contribute something soon.